Simulated gem



Dec. 26, 1950 L. MoYD 2,535,807

SIMULATED GEM Filed July l, 1947 sa a7 Mammalian/aya a* linnn &\ INV E N TOR.

Znaifs Mg/( ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1950 SIMULATED GEM Louis Moyd, Clinton, Miss., assignor to Minerals Limited, Yonkers, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 1, 1947, serial No. 758,358

11 Claims.

AAAThe present invention relates to gems or jewels and more particularly to a simulated gein embodying an asterismal effect which may be-'readly manufactured.

A type of gem much sought after is that of fthe type generally referred to as a star sapphire, star ruby, star garnet. etc., which ferally cut, or formed to rounded, convex, or

cabochon form, as such provides an. enhanced VEstar-like effect when viewed under suitable lighting conditions.

f Attempts have been made to artificially proiduce or imitate a starlike or asterismal effect,

but the attempts have not proven commercially successful. Limitations of high cost, lack of perfection in the ultimate product, and manufacturing difficulties have barred commercial production of satisfactory star gems.

The present invention aim s to overcome the above and other difiiculties by providing a new, improved and commercially practicable article of manufacture capable of exhibiting a starlike or asterismal effect when viewed under suitable conditions of exposure or light.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved article capable of exhibiting a starlike representation.

i. Another` object of the invention is to provide a simulated gem which maybe readily and inexpensively manufactured. y

Still another object of the invention is to provide a gem adapted to exhibit an enhanced starlike eifect. l

Other. and further objects Aof the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustratlve embodiment about to be described. or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled inthe art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings. forming a part of the specification, wherein: y

Fig. 1 isa plan view showing one form. of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view trated in Fig; l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing aportion of the article illustrated in Figs-'l and 2;

Fig. 4 isj an `enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view showing additional forms of the presentinvention Fig. 6 is ak view showing further forms of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a View showing still other forms of the invention. Y-

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. there is shown an article of manufacture having an upper or normally exposed portion lofrounded, domed or convex shape 2. Stones cut to such rounded or convex form are generally Areferred to as cabochonsf Jewelers generally cut certain precious or semi-precious stones inthis shape as the appearance of the gem is thereby enhanced. In planl view, the gem stone of Fig.. l is shown of circular shape but it may be-foval, rectangular, or any other desired shape. Theunder-surface of such a gem, stone is generally substantially flat or has a much greater radius of curvature since this seems to provide an `optimum reflecting surface; in some cases thelunderside or reflecting surface may even be slightly concave. l

A six-,rayed starlike or asterismal effect is indicated in Fig. 1, but with some materials, the star may, for example, have four rays.

As pointed out hereinabove, naturally occurring star Sapphires, star rubies and the like exhibit asterism when viewed in reflected light and particularly when formed Aor cut so as to have a rounded or convex exposed surface; such naturally occurring gems are comparatively rare and hence are quite expensive. l

By the present invention, the article or cabochon I may be of any suitable material which is substantially transparent or translucent. Materials of this type may be naturally occurring gem stones which do not embodyl an asteriated structure, synthetic gem stones, simulated gem stones, glasses, plastics, etc. Such materials will generally be devoid of asterism..

In the present embodiment of the invention a starlike or asterismal effect is provided by a separate member 4 shown adjacent one side of the cabochon or gem stone l. This` separate member 4 is preferably mica of the phlogopite variety but may comprise other naturally occurof the form illusring or synthetic materials capable of exhibiting asterism wherein an asterismal effect is produced by inclusions or the like preferably present throughout the body of the material. Such mica, that is, asteriated phlogopite, contains a plurality of minute needle-like inclusions of foreign matter, or cavities, or similar surfacesv oriented in denite. pattern dispersed throughout the; ma-

erial. Generally the principal axes of certain of the needle-like inclusions or cavities form angles of approximately 60 degrees and l2() degrees with other inclusions or cavities. Reflection of light from the surfaces. of these oriented inclusions, cavities or the like in the micagives a starlike or asterismal effect.

As will be clear from the foregoing description., the inclusions may be either minute cavitiesor minute particles of foreign material; the term inclusions as used herein is intended to cover the inclusion of foreign material as wellas ineluded cavities.

The beautyof the. simulatedgem may be even further enhanced by utilizing a coveringv element. I. having. a greenish,` bluish, ruby or other color.

Insome instancesanactual sapphire, ruby or Z.

garnet, which is devoid of natural asterism,.may heusedwith the present backing element il tothus very realistically. simulate an .asteriated `gemstone.

The mica layer or element-.lor other suitable material 4- may be,- retained in position with the outwardly disposed element I by adhesive, by. clamping the two; together, as. indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. 2, or by a combination. of

both adhesive and clamping. The types of cement or adhesivev which may be used to. secure.

the; backing plate or element 4 of mica and. the cabcchonelement. I together are numerous, the; primary requirement being, that the particular adhesive be. rone which retains. its. property .of f

tion.ofthecabochorrandon/theseverity of treat'- ment; td which. the unal articlez may be.v` subjected. .Withv some materials no. adhesive is. required tosecure4 the backing element 4 andthe. Cabochon un JU element IK together, amechanical attachment:

being sufficientA Inthe case of; glasses. onplastics,

When the article ofl Figs. 1 and' 2, comprisingv theloutwardly disposed element I and'therbacking element 4' of mica, is viewedund'er,` suitable con. I

ditions of' light or exposure; there maybe seen a star-shaped gure having well-formed rayssim-V ilar to those exhibited' byfnatural-l star sapphires and starmrubiea While the embodiment of Figs. 1- and 2 shows an outwardly disposed" element I having a rounded* upper surface`V and a substantially flat, oppositely disposed surface, to'- which is secured the backing member 4*, the rearward or reflecting surface of the element lf may have a slightly con-A vex-or concave shape, as illustrated at'5, 'I-Y and 8 inv Figs. 5b, 5c andi 5d. Also, the' backing material itself (Il), II', I2, I3) may' be of varying cross section or curvature, depending upon the particular enhancedA effect desired'.

ConstructionsV of the hereinabove described type of simulated gernV comprising thecombination of an upper'element I and a back element 4 maybe generally referred toA as"d'oublets.l

(lil

In other instances, the simulated gem may have a third layer or element secured at the rear of the mica backing element to aid in giving the completed article a finished appearance and also to provide additional protection for the backing element. This form of the invention is illustrated in Eig. 6 of the .drawings wherein the simulated gem may include. an outerl element. (1.6', I1, I8, It) having adhesively secured theretoa backing element of mica (22, 23, 24, 25) and a rearwardly disposed covering layer (28, 29, 30, 3l). The rearwardly disposed layer may be of the same or. similar material to that of the Cabochon itself'v and,. as indicated in Fig. 6, the backing element and the outer protective elements may be suitably shaped to provide a desired reflecting surface of the gem.

Instead of securing the elements together as above described, it may-be desirable in some instances .to mold. a vbacking element, preferably of mica or other naturally occurring or synthetic materials such as those referred tohereinabove, into the material itself in such manner asV isoform an integral part. of. the-article. Fig, 7 shows'. such an article. A backing element.l (135, 36,3-'|,v 38).: of'. this form of theinvention is securely protected, cannot readily become` separated from. the complete. article, and" possesses the additional advantage Vof even more closely resembling a -naturallyI occurring star sapphir,estar ruby or other. similar stone.

It. will be.- seen that. the.- present .inventicm prof vides a new and improved simulatedv gem-stone. having. the property of'. exhibiting; a starliker or 5 asterismal. effect when. viewed under suitable;

lightingl conditions. The: gemstone may be readily produced. and may besoldr. at. but a. fractioxrof the costi of naturally'occurring-star gemv stones;

As variouschanges mayxbemadezin thefform, construction andarrangementiof. therpartslherein; without departing from the spirit andiscopeotthe invention and. without. sacrificingA any" of" its'. advantages, itis to be understood that all matter: herein is tol be interpreted asi illustrative and not' in a. limiting sense;

' Having thus 'described' my invention, Ifclaim-c' l. An article-ofthecl'assdescribed comprising,

a member of light-transrnitting;material having a. generally'domed surface,- andy al member of mica having a plurality' of angularly disposedl needlelike lines therein secured to said firstimembsrzirr spacedrelationship withrespect' to anormal'ly: exposed surfacethereof'.

2. An article of theclass described comprising, a member oflightatransmitting materialhaving a substantially convex surfaceat. oneM portionthereof, and amica member having a plurality-of angularly disposedneedle-like lines therein. secured to said memberin spacedrelationshiplwitlr respect to said convex surface; y l

3.. A composite articlesof the, class'V4 described comprising, anormallyoutwardly disposed lighttransmitting member having a. substantially: domedsurface atone portion thereof and a layer of mica spaced` from said: domed surface havinga plurality of'sorient'ed lineationsfsomeofsaid lineationsw being angularly .disposed` -witlr respect to otherlineations.

4'. An article'of the class-describedcomprising, a member of light-transmittingr materialhaving agenerally curved surface, and a member of asteriatedf phlogopite securedy to said-f rst member` in spaced relationship with respect to-'a normallyexposed surface thereof.

5. A composite article of the class described` comprising, a normally outwardly disposed lighttransmitting member having a substantially domed surface at one portion thereof, and a layer of phlogopite mica spaced from said domed surface having a plurality of oriented inclusions embodied therein, some of said inclusions being angularly disposed with respect to other inclusions.

6. An article of manufacture comprising the combination of a member of substantially transparent material having a convex surface, and a mica member having a plurality of angularly disposed needle-like inclusions therein and retained in assembled relationship with said first member substantially opposite said convex surface.

'7. An article of manufacture comprising the combination of a member of substantially transparent material having an arcuate surface, and a member of mica having a plurality of angularly disposed needle-like cavities therein and retained in assembled relationship with said member substantially opposite said arcuate surface.

8. An article of manufacture comprising the combination of, a member of substantially transparent material having a convex surface, and a member of mica having a plurality of angularly disposed needle-like inclusions therein and adhesively secured to said member substantially opposite the convex surface thereof.

9. An article of manufacture comprising the combination of a member of substantially transparent material having la convex surface, and a member of mica having a plurality of angularly disposed needle-like inclusions therein and positioned intermediate outer surfaces of said member substantially opposite the convex surface thereof.

10. An article of the class described comprising, an outwardly disposed member of lighttransmitting material having a surface with portions thereof at different elevations, and a backing member of naturally occurring substantially transparent mineral, having dispersed throughout the depth and area thereof a plurality of minute light-reflecting surfaces with some of said surfaces angularly disposed to others thereof, secured to said outwardly disposed member in spaced relationship with respect to a normally exposed surface thereof.

11. An article of the class described comprising, a front member of substantially light-transmitting material free of asterism having a surface with portions thereof at different elevations, and a layer of substantially transparent material embodying a plurality of angularly disposed needlelike inclusions of foreign matter dispersed throughout the depth and area thereof secured to said rst member adjacent the rear thereof.

LOUIS MOYD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,807,472 Dodge May 26, 1931 2,090,240 Strothman Aug. 17, 1937 2,213,708 Lange Sept. 3, 1940 

